<3  e y. 


REV.  DR.  CLEAVELAND’S  SERMON 

BEFORE  THE 


Am-sriiesm  B»&aa?4  *©£  C©mmiifici<©ja*airs  &©r 

F‘©-p-aig!ja  Mis^-I>S2iE3 


PREACHED  .A.T  ROCHESTER,  X.  Y. 


OCTOBER  6,  {863; 


\ 


MOTIVES  TO  THE  MISSIONARY  WORK 


A 


SERMON, 


BEFORE  THE 


AMERICAN  BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS 
FOR  FOREIGN  MISSIONS, 


AT  THEIR 


MEETING  IN  ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 


OCTOBER  6,  1 863  . 


BY 

ELISHA  L.  CLEAVELAND,  D.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  Third  Congregational  Church,  New  Haven,  Ct. 


BOSTON: 

PRESS  OF  T.  R.  MARVIN  & SON,  42  CONGRESS  STREET. 

1 8 6 3. 


AMERICAN  BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS  FOR  FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 


Rochester,  N.  Y.,  October,  1863. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Board  be  presented  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cle.vveland 
for  his  Sermon,  preached  on  Tuesday  evening,  and  that  he  be  requested  to  furnish  a 
copy  for  publication. 

Attest, 


SAMUEL  M.  WORCESTER,  Rec.  Secretary. 


SERMON. 


LUKE  xxiv.  45-47. 

THEN  OPENED  HE  THEIR  UNDERSTANDING,  THAT  THEY  MIGHT  UNDERSTAND  THE 
SCRIPTURES,  AND  SAID  UNTO  THEM,  THUS  IT  IS  WRITTEN,  AND  THUS  IT 
EEHOOVED  CHRIST  TO  SUFFER,  AND  TO  RISE  FROM  THE  DEAD  THE  THIRD 
DAY  J AND  THAT  REPENTANCE  AND  REMISSION  OF  SINS  SHOULD  BE  PREACHED 
IN  HIS  NAME  AMONO  ALL  NATIONS,  BEGINNING  AT  JERUSALEM. 

This  is  the  first  great  commission  ever  received  by  the 
church  from  her  risen  Lord,  for  the  evangelization  of  the  world. 
Forty  days  after,  it  was  repeated  in  still  more  emphatic  terms, 
as  he  stood  ready  to  depart.  That  was  the  day  of  his  ascension  ; 
this  was  the  day  of  his  resurrection.  That  reveals  the  thought 
last  on  his  mind  before  he  disappeared  from  mortal  sight ; this 
discloses  the  thought  first  in  his  heart  when  he  rose  from  the 
dead  and  entered  on  his  new  career  of  triumph.  It  was  the 
same  great  thought  that  filled  his  soul  from  the  first  to  the 
last  moment  of  his  resurrection-life  on  earth.  So  that  in  the 
deliverance  of  the  text,  we  have  the  very  inauguration  of  the 
work  of  missions.  Here  are  the  first  principles,  the  very  roots 
from  which  the  entire  growth  has  sprung,  and  on  a vital  con- 
nection with  which,  depend  its  vigor  and  fruitfulness.  All 
the  value,  all  the  efficiency,  and  all  the  grandeur  of  our  cause, 
lie  in  the  simple,  but  fundamental  truths  which  gave  it  birth. 
Higher  than  these  we  never  can  rise  — beyond  them  we  never 
can  pass.  Happy  will  it  be  for  us,  and  for  our  success,  if  we 
can  keep  mind  and  heart  in  intelligent  and  loving  sympathy 
with  them. 

As,  then,  lost  Christian  zeal  can  only  be  recovered  by  a 
renewed  touch  of  the  great  magnet  from  which  all  its  electric 


4 


force  is  derived,  let  us  go  back  to  the  hour  and  the  spot  from 
whence  this  sublime  movement  broke  forth  upon  the  world, — 
back  to  the  first  Great  Missionary,  and  his  first  great  words,  as, 
with  lips  just  released  from  the  seal  of  death,  he  commissions  his 
Apostles  for  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  : and  in  that  august 
Presence,  let  us  charge  ourselves  anew  with  the  momentous 
work  we  have  in  hand,  and  open  our  souls  to  the  glowing 
pulsations  of  his  infinite  heart. 

The  first  thing  that  arrests  attention  in  the  account  of  this 
original  missionary  meeting,  is  the  change  wrought  by  our 
Lord  on  the  Apostles  themselves,  by  way  of  qualification  for 
their  work.  He  “ opened  their  understanding,  that  they  might 
understand  the  Scriptures.”  He  not  only  expounded  the  Word 
to  them,  but  he  opened  their  minds  to  comprehend  the  expo- 
sition. He  imparted  to  them  that  inward,  spiritual  illumination, 
without  which  the  Scriptures  are,  at  best,  but  a dead  letter. 
When  Christ  performed  this  service  for  his  disciples,  they  saw 
at  once,  as  they  had  never  seen  before,  that  it  was  incumbent 
on  him  to  suffer  death,  and  rise  again ; and  that  since  the  atone- 
ment now  made  is  the  only  ground  of  salvation,  it  became  their 
highest  duty  and  privilege  to  proclaim  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins  in  his  name,  among  all  nations.  If  any  man,  therefore, 
fails  to  discern  the  true  relations  <5f  Christ’s  death  and  resurrec- 
tion to  the  salvation  of  souls,  or  the  true  relations  of  the  church 
to  impenitent  sinners  and  the  unevangelized  world,  it  is  certain 
that  his  understanding  has  not  yet  been  opened  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  the  real  meaning  of  the  Scriptures.  In  other  words, 
the  work  of  missions  is  a fruit  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  Till  he 
opens  the  heart,  there  is  no  generous  outflow  of  love  to  souls, 
no  quenchless  zeal  for  the  honor  of  God,  no  vital  force  to  out- 
last and  overcome  all  discouragement  and  opposition.  It  is  this 
that  gives  reality  to  things  unseen  and  eternal  ; that  discloses 
the  exalted  nature  and  priceless  worth  of  the  soul ; that  lifts  the 
curtain  of  the  world  to  come,  and  reveals  an  empire,  vast  as 
immensity,  peopled  with  the  countless  generations  of  countless 
worlds,  and  governed  by  one  Infinite  Being  whose  presence 
and  glory  fill  it.  This  it  is  that  uncovers  the  pit  of  woe,  and 


o 


shows  the  sinner’s  doom  ; this  too,  brings  near  the  home  ol  the 
blessed,  and  the  rewards  of  the  righteous.  And  it  is  when,  with 
an  eye  of  faith,  we  look  down  into  the  horrors  of  the  one,  or 
up  to  the  glories  of  the  other,  that  the  spirit  of  missions  comes 
upon  us,  and  we  feel  that  we  cannot  labor  too  earnestly  to 
spread  that  gospel,  which  alone  rescues  man  from  perdition  and 
raises  him  to  heaven. 

In  commissioning  his  Apostles,  our  Lord,  you  will  observe, 
enjoins  it  upon  them,  to  begin  their  work  of  love  at  Jerusalem. 
And  why  begin  at  Jerusalem  ? Was  it  not  here  that  he  had 
encountered  the  boldest,  the  deadliest,  the  most  unrelenting 
opposition  ? Was  it  not  here  that  a malignant  persecution  had 
been  set  on  foot  against  him  ? Was  not  this  the  prolific  fountain 
that  had  poisoned  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  with  enmity  to 
God?  Was  it  not  in  Jerusalem  that  a conspiracy  had  been 
formed  against  the  life  of  Christ?  Had  she  not  just  murdered 
her  own  Messiah  ? And  does  he  now  offer  to  Jerusalem  the 
first  benefits  of  that  redeeming  blood  which  Jerusalem  had 
shed  ? Does  he  extend  the  first  overtures  of  mercy  to  that  very 
multitude  who  cried,  “Not  this  man,  but  Barrabas ; — “ Away 
with  him,  crucify  him”?  Does  he  seek  out  the  very  men 
whose  hands  are  still  reeking  with  his  blood,  and  invite  them 
to  share  the  blessings  of  his  grace?  Yes,  it  is  even  so!  Such 
is  the  sublime  elevation,  the  illimitable  range,  and  the  quench- 
less fire  of  Christ’s  love,  that  it  yearns  toward  his  worst  enemies, 
and  selects  his  murderers  as  the  first  objects  of  his  compassionate 
regard.  The  fact  that  a man  is  peculiarly  wicked  and  inimical 
to  God,  so  far  from  repelling  the  Saviour,  excites  his  pity,  and 
moves  him  to  acts  of  kindness  and  offers  of  mercy.  It  was  on 
this  principle  that  Christ  would  have  his  disciples  begin  their 
mission  at  Jerusalem.  This  was  to  be  the  starting-point  of  the 
missionary  work ; from  this  centre  the  field  was  to  be  swept 
with  a radius  equal  to  the  earth’s  diameter.  Here,  too,  we  have 
the  key-note  of  the  enterprise, — love  to  the  bitterest  foes , — love 
which  makes  its  first  advances  to  the  most  ill-deserving ! A 
love  which  could  begin  at  Jerusalem,  would  surely  never  stop 
till  it  had  encompassed  the  whole  world  : — if  it  could  overleap 
this  first  and  highest  obstacle,  it  is  certain  that  nothing  else 


6 


would  arrest  its  progress.  In  the  fulfillment  of  our  mission, 
« therefore,  we  may  carry  this  gospel  to  the  ends  of  the  earth, 

assured  that  we  shall  find  no  people  so  corrupt  that  the  love  of 
Christ  will  not  reach  and  reform  them  ; we  shall  find  no  case 
of  depravity  so  desperate  as  to  preclude  the  application  of  this 
all-sufficient  remedy. 

Such,  then,  is  the  great  work  committed  to  the  church  by 
her  ascended  Lord.  Let  us  now  look  at  the  motives  by  which 
it  is  enforced  upon  our  hearts  and  consciences.  I name 

1.  The  command  of  Christ. 

Co-operation  in  the  work  of  missions  is  not  left  to  our  dis- 
cretion, or  to  our  good-will ; it  is  imposed  as  a duty.  The 
command  emanates  from  the  highest  authority,  and  can  neither 
be  resisted  or  neglected  without  sin.  The  majesty  of  a sove- 
reign is  impressed  on  every  word, — “ Go  ye  into  all  the  world, 
and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.”  No  ingenuity  can 
torture  this  into  mere  advice  ; no  ignorance  or  dullness  can  fail 
to  understand  it ; on  no  pretext  can  it  be  evaded,  which  would 
not  be  equally  good  against  every  other  precept  of  the  Bible. 

It  is  the  command  of  the  newly  risen  Saviour.  When  he 
first  uttered  it,  he  had  but  just  come  forth  from  the  grave.  It 
is  not  the  requirement  of  a sovereign  reposing  amid  the  peace- 
ful glories  of  his  heavenly  throne  and  kingdom,  and  enjoining 
labors  in  which  himself  had  no  share.  It  conies  from  one  still 
standing,  in  humble  form,  on  the  earth,  bearing  on  his  person 
the  scars  of  that  mighty  conflict  in  which  he  had  vanquished 
the  powers  of  death  and  hell,  leading  captivity  captive  : it  is 
the  command  of  Him  who  had  just  come  up  from  treading  the 
wine-press  alone,  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength,  his  garments 
dyed  in  blood,  and  whose  own  arm  had  brought  him  salvation. 
In  this  precept  there  breathes  the  memory  of  a fearful  struggle, 
an  unknown  distress,  a mysterious  weight  of  woe,  an  agony 
that  must  have  conquered  the  most  heroic  fortitude,  had  it  not 
been  sustained  by  the  whole  strength  of  his  Godhead.  Had 
he  possessed  no  right  in  virtue  of  his  divinity,  he  would  have 
fairly  purchased  it  by  the  battle  he  had  fought,  and  the  victory 
he  had  won.  The  work  he  requires  of  us,  is  nothing  to  the 


7 


work  he  has  done  for  us.  On  the  field  where  he  bids  us  toil, 
he  had  wrought  himself,  with  incessant  and  exhausting  labor. 
He  had  borne  every  burden  we  are  to  bear,  and  infinitely  more. 
But  for  what  he  endured,  our  burdens  would  have  been  insup- 
portable, our  duties  impracticable.  By  his  patient  obedience 
and  sufferings,  a path  has  been  opened  for  us,  not  of  salvation 
only,  but  of  usefulness.  And  now,  when  he  closes  his  laborious 
mission  by  commanding  us  to  enter  on  that  path,  and  co-operate 
with  him  in  carrying  out  the  work  he  had  begun,  preaching 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  in  his  name  among  all  nations, 
shall  we  not  obey  ? Need  we  any  thing  more  than  this  simple 
injunction  ? When  the  crucified  one,  just  descended  from  the 
cross,  just  risen  from  the  grave,  tells  us  to  proclaim  to  every 
nation,  every  soul,  what  he  has  done  and  suffered  for  man’s 
salvation,  shall  we  not  do  it  ? Shall  we  not  fly  on  the  wings 
of  the  wind  to  fulfill  the  great  commission  ? But  again  — 

It  is  our  Saviour’s  last  command.  The  last  words  of  expiring 
greatness,  — how  precious,  how  weighty!  The  last  words  of 
departing  goodness,  — how  sacred,  how  heavenly!  Is  there 
any  duty  you  are  more  careful  to  perform  than  the  dying  com- 
mand of  a sainted  father  or  mother  ? Jesus,  the  loftiest,  saint- 
liest  being  that  ever  trod  this  earth,  left  a farewell  commission 
with  his  bereaved  church.  His  great  work  finished,  — all 
things  ready, — the  moment  at  hand  when  he  was  to  be 
received  up  to  glory, — yet  had  he  one  parting  command,  one 
farewell  injunction,  before  he  could  leave  them.  Had  the 
world  understood  that  scene  as  it  is  now  understood,  had  it 
been  publicly  known  that  the  King  of  Zion  then  stood  on 
Mount  Olivet,  ready  to  ascend  into  heaven,  and  that  he  waited 
but  to  utter  one  last  command  to  his  disciples,  — what  multi- 
tudes would  have  covered  the  summit  and  declivities  of  the 
mount,  and  filled  the  valleys  below,  and  hung  upon  every 
elevated  point  commanding  a view  of  the  scene,  — with  what 
solemn  hush  and  reverence  would  they  have  listened  to  catch 
those  last  words,  that  final  charge ! Nothing  less  than  the 
weight  of  eternity  would  have  seemed  impressed  on  the  fare- 
well utterance  of  the  world’s  Redeemer.  And  so,  in  truth,  it 
was.  Although  the  millions  were  not  there,  and  only  a few 


8 


persecuted  disciples  gathered  with  affectionate  reverence  about 
the  person  of  their  Lord,  the  occasion  was  none  the  less  august, 
the  words  none  the  less  momentous.  They  wax  greater  with 
the  roll  of  ages,  gathering  a more  awful  sacredness  as  the  web 
of  history  unfolds  to  the  gaze  of  the  church.  Uttered  so  near  to 
the  moment  of  his  final  disappearance,  no  other  deliverance  of 
Christ  is  clothed  with  an  emphasis  so  sublime.  It  breathes  of 
mercy  and  of  majesty,  of  grace  and  of  justice,  of  goodness  and 
of  severity.  It  peals  out  on  the  ear  of  startled  nations,  and 
down  on  the  stream  of  coming  ages,  with  a voice  which  arrests 
the  careless,  and  rebukes  the  disobedient.  And  can  we  neglect 
such  a command  ? While  the  heavens  are  opening  over  the 
spot,  and  angels  are  hovering,  and  countless  worlds  are  looking 
on  in  silent  wonder,  and  the  eternal  Father  himself  is  waiting 
to  receive  his  victorious  Son,  do  we  not  hear  the  imperial  man- 
date thunder  as  from  the  excellent  glory,  “ Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature : he  that  believeth, 
and  is  baptized , shall  be  saved ; but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
damned  ” ? 

2.  We  are  urged  to  earnest  efforts  in  behalf  of  this  great 
cause,  by  the  immense  work  that  yet  remains  to  be  done. 

Fifty  years  ago,  the  heathen  were  estimated,  in  round  num- 
bers, at  six  hundred  millions.  You  remember  how  those  ter- 
rific figures,  — emblazoned  before  the  eyes  of  Christendom,  — 
trumpeted  in  startling  appeals  from  land  to  land,  — were  em- 
ployed by  the  Holy  Ghost  as  one  of  the  grand  arguments  that 
first  roused  the  church  to  the  work  of  modern  missions.  Now 
let  me  ask,  What,  after  a half  century  of  missionary  labor,  is 
the  present  number  of  the  heathen  ? Can  we  report  any 
material  diminution  in  those  dreadful  figures  ? Can  we  reduce 
them  by  so  much  as  one  million,  or  even  half  a million  ? No. 
Thousands,  and  tens  of  thousands,  have  been  brought  to  Christ, 
but  there  are  the  six  hundred  millions  still  ! The  banner  of 
the  cross  has  been  planted  in  almost  every  pagan  land,  and 
many  are  the  witnesses  for  Jesus  among  those  idolaters;  still 
there  are  the  countless  masses  of  India,  the  untrodden  depths 
of  Africa,  and  the  unexplored  regions  of  China.  As  if  in 


9 


defiance  of  all  our  efforts,  heathenism  still  glories  in  her  proud 
temples,  still  whitens  the  earth  with  the  bones  of  her  victims, 
and  darkens  the  sky  with  the  smoke  of  her  idolatrous  sacri- 
fices. Who  can  look  at  the  hoary  heights  and  massive  fortresses 
of  this  ancient  empire  of  sin,  and  see  how  firm  and  strong  it 
stands,  and  not  feel  the  stupendous  nature  of  the  work  ? Think 
of  its  antiquity ! dating  back  thousands  of  years  before  Christ. 
Think  of  its  origin ! from  the  father  of  lies,  who,  having  set 
himself  up  as  the  god  of  this  world,  invented  this  system  of 
idolatrous  worship,  that  he  might  bind  the  apostate  millions  of 
earth  to  his  cruel  sceptre  ; — “ for  the  things  which  the  Gen- 
tiles sacrifice,”  says  Paul,  “ they  sacrifice  to  devils,  and  not  to 
God.” 

But  what  is  the  lesson  we  are  to  gather  from  these  moral 
wastes  which  still  stretch  out  their  interminable  spaces  before 
the  missionaries  of  the  cross  ? Is  it  a lesson  of  despair,  or  even 
of  despondency  ? No  ; it  is  a lesson  of  rebuke,  of  repentance, 
of  faith,  of  duty,  of  increased  effort,  but  not  of  despair.  Despair 
is  for  those  who  believe  in  no  God,  no  Saviour,  no  Holy  Ghost, 
no  gospel,  no  atonement,  no  covenant,  no  promise,  no  invincible 
grace; — but  co-workers  with  Omnipotence,  know  nothing  of 
despair.  We  have  great  reason,  however,  for  shame.  Much, 
indeed,  has  been  done,  but  nothing  to  what  ought  to  have  been 
done,  and  might  have  been  done.  Had  the  laborers  been 
tenfold  more  numerous,  the  faith  and  love  tenfold  stronger, 
and  the  prayer  tenfold  more  abundant  and  energetic,  the 
success  might  have  been  a hundredfold  greater.  Glorious 
things  have  been  achieved,  it  is  true.  But  after  all,  there 
are  the  six  hundred  millions,  still  groping  in  the  shadow  of 
death,  and  perishing,  twenty  millions  a year!  And  as  long 
as  those  dense,  dark  columns  present  their  unthinned  ranks 
to  the  gaze  of  Christendom  and  the  world,  how  can  we  feel 
that  Christians  are  doing  their  whole  duty  ? Is  this  a fulfill- 
ment of  the  great  commission  ? Do  we  not  hear  a voice  from 
the  solemn  past,  saying  with  an  emphasis,  never  so  loud  or  awful 
as  now,  — ‘Church  of  God,  how  long  — O how  long,  shall 
“darkness  cover  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness,  the  people?” 
How  long  shall  more  than  three-fourths  of  the  race  be  left  in 


10 


heathen  blindness  ? How  many  more  generations  shall  perish 
before  they  hear  of  Jesus  and  the  resurrection  ? How  many 
centuries  shall  roll  on,  before  the  church  is  willing  to  spare  her 
silver  and  gold,  her  sons  and  daughters,  until  the  wants  of  all 
mankind  are  met  ? When,  O when  will  she  go  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  ? ’ 

3.  We  are  constrained  to  this  work  by  the  love  of  Christ. 

The  love  of  Christ!  who  can  measure  it?  We  ascend  in 
thought  above  the  earth,  above  these  visible  heavens  — we  pass 
onward  and  upward,  from  star  to  star,  from  system  to  system, 
until,  — suns  and  systems,  far  beneath  us,  — we  raise  our  eyes, 
within  the  pearly  gates,  through  towering  hierarchies  of  angels 
and  arch-angels,  to  a throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  standing  in 
massive  and  immutable  strength  against  a background  of  infi- 
nite light.  No  mortal  vision  can  bear  the  look  of  Him  who 
sits  thereon;  — no  mortal  tongue  can  describe  the  surrounding 
scene  of  angelic  beauty  and  glory,  — the  solemn  bowing  down, 
the  ‘ravishing  minstrelsy,  the  grand  choral  song,  rising  in  lofty 
praise  to  the  mysterious  Being  who  reigns  in  awful  majesty 
over  the  universe  of  worlds. 

Now,  from  this  elevation,  take  the  distance  to  the  manger  in 
Bethlehem:  — from  Godhead,  to  humanity;  — from  heaven’s 
throne,  to  a malefactor’s  cross; — from  the  music  of  celestial 
voices,  to  the  execrations  and  curses  of  an  infuriated  populace  ; 
— from  the  blissful  life  of  his  own  glorious  home  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father,  to  the  agonies  of  death  by  crucifixion;  — from 
his  seat  of  pre-eminent  authority,  with  the  created  universe  for 
his  foot-stool,  to  the  narrow  confines,  intense  darkness,  and 
unbroken  silence  of  the  tomb  ! Can  you  fathom  the  descent  ? 
Have  you  a plummet  to  sound  the  infinite  depth  ? Can  you 
comprehend  how  it  is,  that  He  who  bore  so  easily  the  weight  of 
countless  worlds,  now  faints  and  dies  beneath  the  burden  of 
sin  ? More  than  all,  can  your  intelligence  grasp  the  awful 
problem  of  a divine  being  standing  in  your  place,  and  dying  in 
your  behalf?  If  this  is  too  high  for  human,  even  for  angelic 
powers,  it  still  remains  true  that  what  you  cannot  understand, 
you  may  at  least  feel.  Your  thoughts  may  plunge  in  unfath- 


11 


omed  depths,  and  find  no  shore,  no  foothold  on  which  to  rest ; 
yet  all  the  more  will  your  soul  be  filled  with  the  fragrant  mys- 
tery of  Christ's  love.  Incompetent  as  you  are  to  penetrate  the 
whole  philosophy  of  the  crucifixion,  yet  this  you  may  know, 
(and  to  know  it  is  life  eternal !)  that  all  this  humiliation  and 
agony  was  for  you, — for  your  deliverance  from  sin  and  perdition. 
And  just  here  lies  the  main-spring  of  the  missionary  enterprise. 
This  it  was  that  roused  the  Apostles  to  those  untiring  labors 
which  ceased  not  but  with  life.  The  process  by  which  they 
arrived  at  this  mightiest  argument  for  Christian  effort,  was  sim- 
ple, natural,  and  as  open  to  us  as  it  was  to  them.  They  had 
looked  on  their  suffering,  dying  Master,  merely  as  the  unhappy 
victim  of  Jewish  malice ; but  when  he  told  them  that  it  was 
necessary,  as  a part  of  the  divine  plan,  that  he  should  suffer,  and 
rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day,  in  order  that  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  among  all  nations,  the  in- 
ference flashed  at  once  through  their  minds,  as  a surprising  and 
joyful  discovery, — ! Then  it  was  for  our  sakes  he  endured  the 
horrors  of  crucifixion  ! — in  all  that  scene  of  shame  and  agony, 
it  seems,  he  was  working  out  our  redemption  from  sin  and  hell ! 
And  was  it  then  that  we  forsook  him  and  fled  ? Is  this  the 
love  we  have  requited  with  unmanly  cowardice  and  desertion  ? ’ 
Think  of  the  effect  of  this  discovery  on  the  broken-hearted 
Peter ! Crushed  under  a remorseful  sense  of  his  great  crime, 
and  doubtful  whether  he  was  ever  again  to  be  recognized  as  a 
disciple,  how  must  the  glorious  truth  have  amazed  and  melted 
him  ! 1 What ! did  my  blessed  Master  die  for  me  ? Did  my 

injured  Lord  go  from  the  judgment-hall,  where  I so  wickedly 
denied  him,  to  pour  out  his  blood  for  my  guilty  soul  ? — to  wash 
away  my  damning  sins  ? O,  was  there  ever  such  love  as  this  ? 
— so  pure,  so  deep,  so  self-sacrificing!  Shall  I ever  deny  him 
again  ? Can  I ever  love  him  enough  ? Is  there  any  thing  I 
will  not  do  or  suffer  for  so  kind  a Saviour  ? ’ 

The  love  of  Christ  in  dying  for  lost  sinners  was  the  one 
thought  which,  more  than  any  and  all  others,  burned  in  the 
hearts  and  inspired  the  labors  of  the  first  missionaries.  Ask 
the  great  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles  what  moves  him  to  the  perilous 
undertaking  ? He  answers,  “ The  love  of  Christ  constraineth 


12 


me.”  Bat.  Paul,  why  persevere  in  the  face  of  such  tremendous 
obstacles  and  dangers  ? ‘ Because  of  the  great  love  wherewith 

he  hath  loved  us.’  But  think  of  the  sacrifices  you  are  making, 
of  fortune,  position  and  fame  ! “ I count  all  things  but  loss 

for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord.” 
But  why  wear  out  your  strength,  and  rush  upon  certain  martyr- 
dom ? “ He  loved  me  ! he  gave  himself  to  die  for  me  ! ” But 

what  do  you  expect  to  gain  by  this  course  ? To  “comprehend, 
with  all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth  and  length,  the  height  and 
depth,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowl- 
edge.” Well,  then,  if  you  will  identify  yourself  with  the 
despised  Nazarene,  you  must  share  his  reproach.  “ God  forbid 
that  I should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; 
by  whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I unto  the 
world  ! ” 

And  will  any  lower  motive,  think  you,  suffice  for  us,  in 
prosecuting  the  work  of  modern  missions  ? Is  it  not  to  speak 
the  Saviour’s  precious  name  — to  make  known  his  matchless 
worth  — to  set  forth  his  dying  love  — to  publish  the  glad 
tidings  of  redemption  to  a perishing  world  — to  win  lost  souls 
to  his  cross,  and  add  star  after  star  to  his  crown,  — is  not  this 
the  grand  motive-power  of  the  missionary  enterprise  ? Other 
considerations,  doubtless,  may  have  their  legitimate  influence  ; 
but  only  as  they  emanate  from,  and  are  articulated  with,  this 
master-principle,  are  they  acceptable  to  God,  or  valuable  to 
Christianity.  Our  natural  sympathies  may  be  strongly  excited 
by  the  temporal  miseries  of  the  heathen,  we  may  take  pleasure 
in  sending  them  the  gospel  as  the  necessary  means  of  improving 
their  condition  in  time,  and  even  their  prospects  for  eternity. 
We  may  be  drawn  into  the  missionary  movement  by  the  air  of 
romance  with  which  some  minds  invest  it.  There  is  the  fasci- 
nation of  heroic  self-sacrifice  in  leaving  home  and  kindred  and 
country,  for  an  exile  in  distant  climes ; there  are  the  charms  of 
foreign  travel  and  residence  in  lands  made  classic  by  ancient 
story  and  song,  or  made  sacred  by  the  footsteps  of  Patriarchs 
and  Prophets,  of  Apostles  and  the  Son  of  God  himself.  There, 
too,  is  the  elevated  field  of  toil,  lifting  the  humblest  of  its 
laborers  into  the  view  of  a great  spectatorship ; the  tempting 


13 


opportunity  of  acquiring  a general,  perhaps  a national,  possibly 
a world-wide  reputation  for  scholarship  or  discovery.  We 
may  be  drawn  into  active  co-operation  with  this  enterprise  by 
the  imposing  aspect  of  a powerful  organization,  wielding  an 
immense  influence,  receiving  the  confidence  and  support  of 
millions,  and  carrying  forward  a system  of  missions  which 
commands  the  admiration  of  the  world.  There  is  something, 
moreover,  in  these  annual  convocations,  with  their  crowded 
meetings,  impressive  solemnities,  exciting  discussions,  and 
thrilling  associations,  which  magnetizes  the  mind  to  an  un- 
wonted fervor.  In  an  atmosphere  so  electric,  vivid  imagina- 
tions, and  sympathetic  natures,  may  easily  kindle  into  a glow 
of  excitement,  under  which  high  resolves  are  taken,  eloquent 
words  are  spoken,  and  generous  deeds  are  performed. 

All  these  influences  may  indeed  be  sanctified  and  exalted  by 
Christian  principle.  It  is  equally  true,  however,  that  they  may 
stand  apart  from  it  entirely.  It  is  quite  possible  that  the  man 
who,  under  these  circumstances,  warms  towards  the  cause  of 
missions,  would  be  altogether  indifferent  to  it,  if  the  circum- 
stances had  no  existence.  If  the  Board  held  its  annual  meet- 
ings now,  as  it  did  fifty  years  ago.  in  private  parlors,  encom- 
passed by  an  atmosphere  of  chilling  incredulity,  neglect  and 
unfriendliness,  — with  nearly  the  whole  heathen  world  closed 
against  its  missionaries,  — with  a scanty  treasury,  — with  no 
starred  names  of  martyred  heroes  on  its  catalogue,  — with  no 
illustrious  record  of  conquests  achieved,  — with,  as  yet,  only 
unpromising  experiments  to  reward  its  courageous  venture  on 
the  word  and  faithfulness  of  God;  — few,  I imagine,  would, 
under  such  circumstances,  be  drawn  to  the  cause  by  any  attrac- 
tion of  romance,  or  of  distinction,  or  of  visible  grandeur,  or  of 
popular  excitement.  Nothing  less  than  the  love  of  Christ, 
and  of  souls  for  which  Christ  died,  would  ordinarily  avail  to 
identify  a man  with  an  undertaking  so  forlorn  in  the  public 
view.  No  feebler  motive,  I am  confident,  could  successfully 
encounter  the  stern  realities  of  the  mission  field. 

And  we  may  rest  assured  that  what  was  necessary  to  success 
in  that  “ day  of  small  things,” — that  period  of  inception  and 
experiment, — is  no  less  requisite  now  that  the  work  has  swelled 
2 


14 


to  such  vast  dimensions,  has  impressed  into  its  service  so  many 
auxiliary  forces,  and  is  moving  on  with  such  prodigious  mo- 
mentum. The  God  of  missions  accepts  no  man  in  this  cause, 
who  is  not  inspired  by  gratitude  for  the  love  of  Christ.  The 
money  and  the  influence  we  offer  in  his  service,  he  may  use 
for  his  own  gracious  purposes  ; but  we  ourselves  will  not  be 
accepted,  unless  prompted  thereto  by  the  same  high  considera- 
tion that  constrained  the  first  missionaries.  Natural  philan- 
thropy may  kindle  up  a feeble  and  transient  blaze  of  compassion 
for  heathen  wretchedness  ; but  Christ’s  love  for  lost  souls  no 
man  may  feel,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Flesh  and  blood  never 
reveal  that  to  us : it  can  only  come  by  an  illumination  from  on 
high.  It  is  a fruit  of  renewing  grace — it  is  a pecujiar  and  essen- 
tial element  of  experimental  Christianity.  Hence  its  power  with 
God ; hence  its  depth  of  feeling,  the  tenacity  of  its  hold,  and 
the  energy  of  its  operation.  Nor  has  the  experience  of  eighteen 
centuries  taken  any  thing  from  the  original  freshness,  and  the 
sweet  surprise  with  which  the  convert  of  our  time  makes  his 
first  discovery  of  Christ’s  love.  Not  more  suddenly  did  it  flash 
as  a strange  light  from  heaven  on  the  astonished  Apostles,  than 
it  breaks  to-day  on  the  quickened  soul  in  the  moment  of  its 
spiritual  baptism.  Nor  will  the  eyes  once  opened  to  the  glory 
of  that  sight,  ever  wholly  lose  the  vision.  Thenceforth  a new 
life  will  breathe,  a new  fire  will  burn,  a new  power  will  work 
in  the  soul.  It  is  a principle  of  unequaled  moral  leverage, 
lifting  the  Christian  into  a purer  atmosphere,  introducing  him 
to  a more  exquisite  experience,  and  putting  him  upon  a loftier 
course  of  action  than  he  had  ever  deemed  possible.  No  other 
motive  can  impart  such  a grateful  sense  of  freedom,  and  gen- 
erous enthusiasm,  — can  stimulate  to  such  noble  endeavors, 
and  give  such  support  under  hardship  and  peril.  If  this  fails, 
every  thing  will  fail.  Should  the  time  ever  come  when  the 
love  of  Christ  shall  cease  to  be  the  animating  principle,  the 
main  impulse  of  the  missionary  enterprise,  then  the  work  of 
missions  will  itself  die  out.  Organizations  may  survive,  but 
only  to  show  that  vitality  is  extinct.  The  usual  movements 
may  be  gone  through  with,  but  without  spirit,  force,  or  effect. 
Annual  meetings  may  be  held,  but  to  glorify  man  rather  than 


15 


God.  Christ  will  not  be  there;  and  the  love  of  souls  — the 
love  of  the  heathen  — will  give  place  to  the  love  of  this  present 
world. 

I have  exhibited  some  of  the  great  motives  which  urge  the 
people  of  God  to  an  energetic  prosecution  of  the  work  of  mis- 
sions ; — the  perishing  state  of  the  heathen;  the  command  of 
Christ  that  the  gospel  shall  be  preached  to  them  ; and  the  con- 
straining power  of  his  own  love  for  sinners.  To  what  prac- 
tical results,  let  me  now  ask,  in  conclusion,  should  we  be  led 
by  these  weighty  considerations  ? What  specific  forms  of  action 
do  they  press  upon  us,  as  the  imperative  duty  of  the  present 
time  ? 

The  first  and  most  important  duty  suggested  by  the  foregoing 
arguments,  is  the  entire  consecration  of  ourselves  to  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

Consecration  is  the  simple  and  legitimate  consequence  of  a 
real  discovery  of  Christ's  love.  It  results  from  no  selfish  cal- 
culation— no  cold,  iron  chain  of  logic  — no  frothy  rhetoric  — 
no  shallow,  transient  impulse  — no  vapid  sentimentalism  — no 
artificial  lashing  up  of  the  soul  to  feeling.  It  is  purely  the 
effect  of  faith’s  direct  look  at  the  Lamb  of  God.  One  believing 
glance  at  that  sacrifice  of  love,  and  the  soul  takes  fire.  There 
may  be  no  conscious  process  of  argument,  yet  argument  there 
is,  the  most  potent.  The  philosophy  is  unperceived,  yet  instant 
and  irresistible.  It  is  the  philosophy  of  the  heart.  It  is  the 
result  of  that  swift  “chemistry  of  thought”  which,  under  given 
conditions,  spontaneously  combines  in  results  as  exquisite,  as 
they  are  surprising.  Ask  me  not  to  demonstrate  it  by  logical 
process.  If  you  need  an  elaborate  argument  to  persuade  you 
to  this  consecration ; if  a simple  look  at  the  cross,  and  at  Him 
who  hung  there,  — at  the  love  which  triumphed  there,  and  at 
the  redemption  which  was  wrought  out  there, — does  not  of 
itself  reveal  to  you  the  secret  attraction  of  that  great  magnet 
of  hearts,  then,  alas,  how  far  do  you  stand  from  that  glorious 
centre  of  loyalty  and  love  ! 

Calvary,  then,  is  the  place  for  reconsecration.  It  is  when  stand- 


16 


ing  around  the  cross  of  Christ, — with  its  atoning  blood  sprinkled 
on  our  consciences ; with  its  mingled  glories  of  justice  and 
mercy  streaming  over  us ; with  its  flood  of  love  bathing  our 
souls,  and  its  touching  memories  subduing  our  hearts, — that  we 
may  most  fitly  renew  our  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Head  of  the 
church.  This  self-consecration  is  indeed  the  noblest  and  most 
needed  offering  we  can  present  to  the  cause  of  missions.  The 
great  want  of  that  cause  at  the  present  moment  is  an  increase 
of  piety  in  the  churches.  There  is,  indeed,  a pressing  demand 
for  more  money,  and  more  missionaries ; but  the  most  urgent 
necessity  of  all  is  a larger  measure  of  the  spirit  of  Christ  in 
the  members  of  his  body.  However  godly,  or  faithful,  the 
laborers  on  mission  ground,  it  is  impossible  but  that  their  suc- 
cess should  be  affected  by  the  state  of  the  spiritual  atmosphere 
among  ourselves.  As  the  head  and  pressure  at  the  reservoir, 
determines  the  elevation  to  which  the  water  may  be  thrown 
from  the  pipes  in  the  distant  city,  so  the  degree  of  piety  in  the 
constituent  churches  must  exert  an  influence,  for  good  or  evil, 
on  the  missions  supported.  Not  to  speak  of  the  likelihood  that 
the  men  who  go  out  from  year  to  year  will  share  the  general 
tone  and  spirit  of  the  community  which  sends  them, — there  is 
the  powerful  influence  of  prayer,  by  which  Christians  at  home 
may  mightily  co-operate  with  the  workmen  abroad.  And  how 
efficiently  may  the  earnest  intercessions  of  a godly  people  be 
followed  up  by  the  silent  argument  of  a holy  life,  and  of  a 
tender  yearning  of  soul  over  the  mission  field.  An  habitual 
and  deep-toned  godliness  pervading  the  churches,  would  react 
on  our  missionary  operations  with  overwhelming  effect.  Gifts 
bestowed,  would  be  consecrated  by  a simplicity  of  faith,  en- 
riched by  a wealth  of  love,  and  winged  to  their  designation  by 
a power  of  prayer,  which  would  tell  in  glorious  results  on  the 
hearts  of  the  heathen.  Alas,  how  far  do  we  fall  short  of  this 
desirable  condition ! The  type  of  piety,  on  the  breath  of 
which  this  Board  rose  into  existence,  is  certainly  undergoing 
serious  modifications,  and  who  will  say,  for  the  better?  Who 
does  not  feel  that  the  glory  of  that  light  is  fading,  — that  the 
power  of  that  early  faith  and  love  is  wanting  ? Who  does  not 
acknowledge  that  the  grand  necessity  of  the  church  in  these 


17 


days  is  a new  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ? What  we  need  is 
an  unction  from  on  high,  that  shall  lift  our  actual  life  to  the 
full  level  of  our  principles  and  professions;  — nay,  that  shall 
raise  us  into  the  atmosphere  of  the  cross ; that  shall  make 
every  Christian  a witness  and  a missionary  for  Jesus,  whatever 
his  sphere;  — willing  to  perform  any  service,  to  labor  in  any 
place,  and  encounter  any  hardship,  suffering  or  peril,  at  the 
call,  and  for  the  sake  of  his  Master.  He  who  has  this  spirit  is 
a missionary  of  the  cross,  whether  he  exercise  his  ministry 
among  the  savages  of  Africa,  or  the  churches  of  this  favored 
land.  It  is  a common,  but  a great  mistake,  as  it  is  a great 
evil,  to  regard  the  spirit  of  missions  as  a peculiar  kind  of 
Christianity,  not  to  be  expected,  perhaps  not  required,  of 
Christians  generally.  So  far  from  being  something  superadded 
to,  or  different  from,  what  is  usually  understood  as  the  Christian 
spirit,  it  is  precisely  the  same  thing.  The  true  spirit  of  mis- 
sions is,  simply  and  emphatically,  the  spirit  of  Christ.  It  is 
love  for  the  perishing  souls  of  men — such  love  as  prompts  to 
personal  effort  and  sacrifice  in  their  behalf.  It  is  not  predicated 
on  locality  or  condition  at  all  ; it  is  compassion  for  lost  sinners 
wherever  found.  There  may  be  just  as  much  of  a missionary 
spirit  in  laboring  to  save  souls  in  Christian  as  in  heathen  lands. 
Indeed,  to  be  a Christian  at  all,  one  must  have  something  of 
the  missionary  spirit.  No  pity  for  the  souls  of  the  heathen 
argues  no  pity  for  any  man's  soul.  It  is  a contradiction  in  terms, 
for  a man  claiming  to  be  a disciple  of  Christ  to  excuse  himself 
from  service  among  the  heathen,  on  the  ground  that  he  never 
had  the  spirit  of  missions.  It  is  tantamount  to  a confession 
that  he  has  no  sympathy  with  the  Great  Missionary  himself — 
no  part  or  lot  in  his  salvation.  Away  with  such  unworthy, 
fatal  misconceptions  of  Christianity  ! Suppose,  in  our  great 
army  of  patriotic  volunteers,  a part  should  beg  to  be  excused 
from  marching  to  the  front,  and  encountering  the  sterner 
hardships  and  perils  of  active  hostilities,  on  the  ground  that 
they  never  had  a patriotic  spirit ! Never  had  a patriotic 
spirit ! Then  why  did  you  enlist  ? What  business  have  you 
in  the  army?  You,  a soldier,  and  not  ready  to  go,  at  the 
word  of  command,  wherever  your  country  sends  you ! And 


18 


what,  think  you,  will  our  great  Captain  say  to  those  who 
claim  to  be  soldiers  of  the  cross,  and  yet  shrink  from  toil  and 
danger  because  they  lack  the  missionary  or  Christian  spirit  ? 
It  is  time  we  were  done  with  such  holiday  soldiering  as  this. 
Let  us  at  least  be  consistent ; and  either  renounce  all  preten- 
sions to  a calling  for  which  we  acknowledge  our  unfitness,  or 
else  manfully  accept  the  high  responsibilities  we  have  assumed, 
come  squarely  up  to  the  spirit  of  the  position,  and  courageously 
undertake  the  duties  it  involves.  If  we  arc  what  we  profess  to 
be,  we  have  enlisted,  not  for  the  home  guard,  nor  for  camp 
duty,  but  to  go  wherever  we  are  ordered,  to  do  whatever  we 
are  required.  Be  the  field  near  at  hand  or  far  away  ; be  the 
service  easy  or  hard,  safe  or  dangerous  : we  must  hold  our- 
selves ready  to  obey  the  will  of  our  Master.  A thorough  con- 
secration makes  no  reserves,  stipulates  no  conditions,  and  asks 
no  privilege,  except  that  of  being  permitted  to  serve  and  suffer 
for  the  Lord  Jesus,  wherever  and  however  he  may  appoint. 

The  next  duty  connected  with  our  subject,  is  that  of  Christian 
liberality  in  the  supply  of  funds  for  the  prosecution  of  our  work. 

This  is  closely  connected  with  the  matter  of  consecration. 
For  when  a man  gives  himself  to  Christ,  docs  he  not  give  his 
property  also  ? Can  he  give  the  greater,  and  not  the  less  ? The 
love  which  can  bestow  so  precious  a gift  as  the  heart’s  deepest 
affection,  could  not  at  the  same  time  tolerate  any  reserves  in 
regard  to  things  of  inferior  value.  The  consecration  that  does 
not  embrace  every  thing,  is  essentially  defective.  Our  charities 
should  be  conducted  on  the  principle  that  self-denial  is  an  essen- 
tial clement  of  personal  sanctification.  Almsgiving  is  enjoined 
in  Scripture,  quite  as  much  for  the  spiritual  benefit  of  the  donor, 
as  for  the  temporal  relief  of  the  recipient.  It  is  prescribed  as  a 
means  of  grace,  because  it  exercises  both  our  benevolence  and 
our  self-denial.  And  the  more  we  deny  ourselves  for  Christ's 
sake,  provided  we  are  sincere  and  cheerful  in  it,  the  richer  will 
be  the  blessing  on  our  own  souls.  It  is  a great  mistake,  there- 
fore, to  give  to  benevolent  objects,  only  what  we  can  easily 
spare,  and  never  know  it.  Even  if  that  reaches  the  wants  of 
the  destitute,  it  docs  not  reach  our  own  case.  Such  a rule  of 


19 


charity  indicates  excessive  self-indulgence, — a surfeit  of  worldly 
good,  symptomatic  of  spiritual  apoplexy.  The  case  is  alarm- 
ing, and  demands  a bold  and  resolute  effort  at  depletion.  The 
lancet  must  be  applied  freely  and  without  delay.  Let  the 
charities  be  at  once  doubled,  quadrupled,  tenfolded.  Let  us 
give  that  which  we  shall  miss  when  it  is  gone,  in  some  cher- 
ished, but  now  restrained  indulgence.  Let  us  make  some  actual 
and  costly  sacrifice,  that  shall  put  our  love  to  the  proof.  Let 
us  apply  an  intrepid  surgery  to  the  spirit  that  would  hoard 
wealth  on  earth,  lest  it  impoverish  our  souls,  aud  prove  a sad 
reversion  in  the  world  to  come. 

It  is  no  part  of  my  purpose  to  determine  the  delicate  question 
as  to  personal  and  family  expenditures.  Nor  is  it  needful.  If 
the  principle  of  supreme  love  has  passed  over  from  self  to 
Christ,  this  question  can,  and  will,  be  easily  settled  by  each 
individual.  If  self  reigns,  we  shall  be  concerned  to  know  how 
much  we  can  do  for  our  own  temporal  interest,  and  how  little 
will  answer  for  Christ.  If  Jesus  reigns  in  our  hearts,  we  shall 
only  care  to  ask  how  little  will  serve  for  ourselves,  and  how 
much  can  be  spared  for  our  Master.  Place  the  question  under 
the  burning  focus  of  supreme  love  to  the  Redeemer,  and  the 
ligatures  with  which  selfishness  has  bound  up  the  heart  will  be 
consumed,  and  leave  the  soul  to  the  generous  impulses  of  Chris- 
tian gratitude.  To  a man  whose  breast  dilates  with  such  pure 
and  blissful  emotions,  what  are  the  pleasures,  the  elegancies, 
the  glories  of  wealth,  but 

“ Snow  that  falls  upon  a river, 

A moment  white,  then  gone  forever.” 

Instead  of  using  his  wealth  to  pamper  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
he  will  account  it  his  honor  and  happiness  to  use  it  for  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  conversion  of  sinners.  Alas,  how  often  are 
these  poor  vanities  .with  which  men  regale  the  passing  moment 
balanced,  — in  the  souls  of  lost  heathen,  — by  the  weight  of 
eternal  woe  ! O,  could  that  professed  Christian,  who  lavishes 
upon  his  princely  establishment,  and  his  habitual  luxuries,  an 
uncounted  and  ungrudged  expenditure,  while  he  doles  out, 
with  apparent  reluctance,  a few  scores,  or  at  most,  a few  hun- 


20 


dreds  of  dollars  for  the  salvation  of  the  world,  have  his  eyes 
opened  to  the  true  relations  of  things,  — could  he  look  upon  his 
possessions  in  the  light  of  eternal  realities,  and  with  a vision 
quickened,  like  that  of  Elisha’s  servant,  — he  would  see  them 
spotted  with  the  blood  of  souls.  The  guilty  proof  of  his  neglect 
of  lost  immortals,  would  cry  out  against  him  from  all  his 
beautiful  things. 

It  is  a fearful  thought,  that  property,  which  God  intended  for 
his  own  glory,  will  be  avenged  on  those  who  have  compelled 
it  to  serve  their  selfish  lusts.  Every  dollar  thus  perverted  will 
become  a swift  witness  before  God,  of  all  the  base  uses  to 
which  it  has  been  degraded.  Alas,  how  hard  are  some  men 
toiling  to  accumulate  the  testimony  which  is  to  strike  them 
dumb  with  guilt  in  the  day  of  judgment ! Be  it  our  care  to 
make  friends  of  this  mammon,  by  a faithful  consecration  of  it 
to  the  cause  of  Christ,  so  that  in  Jesus’  name,  it  may  plead  for 
us  before  the  throne,  in  many  an  act  of  faith,  in  many  a deed 
of  kindness,  in  many  a soul  saved,  in  many  an  idolater  brought 
out  of  darkness  into  marvelous  light. 

Finally,  all  our  gifts  and  consecrations  to  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions will  be  in  vain,  unless  God  makes  them  effectual  by  the 
almighty  co-operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  work  began 
with  a dispensation  of  the  Spirit.  At  that  first  missionary 
meeting,  already  referred  to,  Jesus  breathed  on  his  assembled 
disciples,  and  said,  “ Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.”  On  the 
very  day  they  commenced  their  ministry,  a still  more  affluent 
outpouring  of  the  Spirit  fell  upon  them,  like  a mighty,  rushing 
wind,  with  cloven  tongues  of  fire.  From  that  day  to  this, 
the  work  has  prospered  only  as  the  same  omnipotent  agency 
has  attended  the  labors  of  the  church.  If  that  is  withdrawn, 
the  missions  languish  and  die.  It  is  the  great  rain  of  God’s 
strength,  without  which  all  spiritual  vegetation  ceases. 

But  this  indispensable  blessing  is  usually  bestowed  only  in 
answer  to  prayer.  The  Apostles  were  praying  and  waiting  for 
it  when  it  descended  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  When  Chris- 
tians feel  the  chill  and  darkness  caused  by  the  partial  suspension 
of  the  Spirit’s  influence,  and  begin  to  sigh  and  yearn  after  him, 


21 


lifting  up  penitent  hands  in  earnest  prayer,  for  his  return,  then 
the  time  of  visitation  draws  nigh.  Just  here,  then,  lies  a 
special  and  most  important  duty.  The  American  Board  of 
Missions  was  prayed  into  existence,  by  Judson  and  Hall,  Mills 
and  Newell,  and  other  devoted  spirits,  whose  hearts  the  Lord 
had  touched.  It  has  been  borne  up,  ever  since,  on  the  breath 
of  prayer.  Prayer  has  planted  every  mission,  and  wrestled 
into  the  kingdom  every  heathen  convert.  Let  us  not  dream  of 
success  without  prayer.  If  deserted  monthly  concerts  indicate 
that  the  churches  are  growing  weary  of  intercession,  the  effects 
will  surely  be  seen  in  some  new  check  of  the  missionary  work, 
and  in  some  deeper  decline  of  piety  at  home.  What  need  we 
more  than  this  decay  of  prayer,  to  account  for  the  religious 
declension  which  now  afflicts  the  land  ? Why  else  this  cessa- 
tion of  revivals  — this  falling  ofT  of  religious  activities  — this 
lull  of  the  breeze  that  kept  every  thing  astir  — this  spiritual  lan- 
guor and  stagnation  ? Yet  it  is  not,  we  trust,  an  absolute  and 
final  departure.  The  Holy  Spirit  hovers  near,  and  prayer  may 
call  him  forth  again,  to  breathe  fresh  vitality  into  this  scene  of 
religious  inaction.  This  moral  torpor  by  no  means  forbids  the 
hope  of  revival.  Such  moments  have  we  seen  in  nature,  when 
motion  sleeps,  and  life  itself  holds  its  breath.  You  stand  upon 
the  hill-top  on  a summer’s  day.  It  is  an  hour  of  calm  repose  ; 
the  elements  are  still ; each  leaf  motionless ; smokes  rise  per- 
pendicularly ; the  sail  drops  idly  against  the  mast ; the  ship 
becalmed  waits  for  the  propelling  force  ; clouds  rest  on  their 
beds  of  ether,  solid  and  immovable  as  castles  of  marble,  or 
mountains  of  snow;  and  the  “mute,  still  air”  lays  upon  the 
earth  like 

“Music  slumbering  on  her  instrument.” 

- k 

Presently,  you  perceive  a change  in  the  outline  of  yon  marble 
castle.  Its  turrets  and  towers  begin  to  dissolve  ; the  mountains 
are  flowing  down,  and  the  whole  vast  pile  is  on  the  move  ; 
like  some  immense  fleet,  it  has  weighed  anchor,  and  is  sailing 
over  the  etherial  ocean.  You  drop  your  eye  to  earth,  and 
observe  that  the  smokes  are  deflected  now,  and  swayed  in  the 
same  direction  as  the  moving  cloud  ; the  tree-tops,  too,  are  in 


22 


motion  ; every  leaf  is  lifted,  and  pointed  in  the  direction  of 
the  flying  vapor.  The  ripe  fields  of  grass  and  grain  are 
roughened  into  rolling  waves.  And  commerce,  rousing  from 
her  temporary  sleep,  lifts  up  her  glad  pennons,  shakes  out  her 
idle  canvas,  and,  ploughing  her  way  through  the  deep,  soon 
whitens  the  sea  with  her  wings,  and  hastens  to  enrich  all  lands 
with  her  treasures. 

What  the  wind  is  to  this  scene  of  joyous  life  and  activity,  the 
breath  of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  be  to  the  church  and  the  world, 
when  he  visits  them  with  his  reviving  grace.  Waited  for, 
longed  for,  prayed  for,  by  devout  souls,  he  at  length  moves  on 
the  face  of  the  great  deep,  and  awakes  life  from  apparent  death. 
Wherever  his  influence  passes  over  a community,  it  gives  a 
common  impulse  to  all  hearts  that  feel  it.  It  turns  every 
quickened  soul  towards  God,  as  the  breeze  points  every  leaf  of 
the  forest  in  one  direction.  It  sweeps  over  states  and  nations, 
and  whatsoever  it  touches,  springs  into  life.  It  leaves  the  im- 
press of  holiness  on  every  heart,  and  in  every  home  it  visits. 
Following  the  track  of  its  progress  over  the  earth  and  through 
the  ages,  a spirit  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  rises  to  God  with 
the  choral  grandeur  of  the  great  Reformation ; it  ascends  from 
beneath  the  majestic  arches  and  fretted  vaults  of  old  cathedrals, 
from  within  the  walls  of  humble  conventicles,  and  from  under 
the  roofs  of  private  dwellings ; it  reverberates  from  the  rocks  of 
Switzerland,  from  the  glens  and  caves  of  Scotland,  and  from 
the  wilds  of  America.  And  as  the  sublime  movement  rolls  on, 
the  same  sweet  song  comes  up  from  heathen  lands,  from  the 
homes  of  idolaters,  from  amid  scenes  dark  with  the  blood  of 
human  sacrifices, — until  at  last  the  whole  world  is  vocal  with 
its  resounding  echoes. 

Why  should  it  be  thought  a thing  incredible  that  God 
should  do  this  ? Is  it  more  than  he  has  promised  ? Is  it 
more  than  he  is  able  to  perform  ? Is  it  more  than  he  will 
certainly  do,  at  some  future  period  ? Has  not  his  Spirit  often 
given  assurance  both  of  his  power  and  of  his  purpose  to  fill 
the  whole  earth  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  ? And 
at  this  present  crisis,  — by  these  rough  and  stormy  winds, 
tearing  up  old  institutions  of  oppression  and  cruelty,  driving  the 


23 


ploughshare  of  his  judgments  under  the  roots  of  ancient  and 
mighty  wrongs  which  obstruct  the  progress  of  his  course,  and 
shaking  the  nations  of  tire  earth,  — does  he  not  indicate  that  the 
‘ Desire  of  all  flesh  is  coming,’  to  make  “ new  heavens  and  a new 
earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness”?  May  we  not  accept 
this  tremendous  overturning,  as  one  of  those  grand  steps  in  the 
historic  march  of  divine  Providence,  which  signalize  great  eras 
of  religious  advancement  ? The  contrast  between  our  own 
peaceful  work  of  love  aird  the  present  scene  of  civil  war,  is 
indeed  painfully  impressive ; but  it  were  disregarding  the 
most  instructive  lessons  of  history,  to  deny  that,  bloody  as  it 
is,  this  conflict  may  be  working  out  results  of  happy  omen  to 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  general,  and  to  the  cause  of  missions 
in  paritcular. 

Yes,  our  work  shall  yet  be  accomplished  ! The  cause  shall 
triumph  ! The  kingdom  of  Christ  shall  overspread  the  earth  ! 
“He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied.”  We 
are  toiling  for  no  uncertain  end.  “He  that  goeth  forth  and  weep- 
eth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  rejoicing, 
bringing  his  sheaves  with  him.”  It  is  the  faithful  laborer  who 
will  shout  the  harvest  home.  His  will  be  the  crowning  joy  of 
that  hour,  when  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  come  up  in 
countless  millions,  — from  Greenland  and  China,  from  India 
and  Africa,  and  the  far-distant  islands  of  the  sea, — washed  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  radiant  with  the  beauty  of  holiness,  to 
receive  their  immortal  crowns.  And  as  they  “pass  through 
glory’s  morning  gate,”  the  whole  host  of  the  redeemed  will 
hail  the  returning  conquerors  in  the  rapturous  strains  of  the 
victor’s  song, — 

“ The  soft  peace-march,  beating,  Home,  brothers,  Home  ” ! 

And  welcoming  angels  respond, — 


Home,  brothers,  Home  ” ! 


♦ 


- 


